A radical project has been proposed to fully electrify nearly 120 miles of railway between Dunblane and Aberdeen - which could see Perth and Kinross passengers facing seven years of disruption.
Network Rail has submitted plans to the six affiliated councils which would see the installation of overhead power lines on the vast majority of the existing Aberdeen to Central Belt - A2CB - track, meaning a number of historic bridges will be demolished.
The national railway body said the project will “deliver significant environmental benefits” and “enhance the infrastructure” for years to come.
If given the go ahead, the major overhaul would start in 2023 just north of Dunblane Station before heading through Blackford to Gleneagles Station.
The line works would continue on to Perth, over the Kincardine Viaduct, and thereafter the Forteviot and Earn Viaducts.
The A2CB line using platforms one and two at Perth Railway Station would be upgraded before heading on to the Tay Viaduct.
The line works then follow along the route of the River Tay and the A90 to Invergowrie Station, then onto Dundee, Angus and Aberdeen.
A total of 152 bridges and 16 stations would undergo some kind of work - with the listed footbridge at Invergowrie Station potentially facing a complete rebuild under the plan.
The plans also indicate that the St Leonard’s Bridge in Perth would also be upgraded.
Twenty four bridges across the line will be rebuilt and 21 demolished completely, but Network Rail has not disclosed which ones as of yet.
Work has been undertaken at the behest of Network Rail to understand the potential impact of electrification on bridges over the railway, and further analysis on clearances and gauge will be undertaken to see if the overall scope of the interventions can be reduced.
Network Rail hopes to begin work next year and finish by December 2029, but a spokesperson added that the plans submitted to the councils were not final.
An extract from the overview report submitted to the six councils reads: “Transport accounts for 37 per cent of all greenhouse gas emissions in Scotland.
“Whilst the railways contribution to this is relatively low, there is a need for the railways to reduce emissions whilst also encouraging a ‘modal shift’ from road to rail.”
The report adds: “The A2CB project has been identified as a measure to decarbonise Scotland’s transport system as required Scotland’s Climate Change Act and the Climate Change Plan.
“This requirement has been translated into actions across national economic, transport, and planning policy and government investment strategy.
“Regional planning and transport policy supports the project.
“Local Development Plans across the six authorities either support the premise of the proposed project in general terms or support electrification explicitly.”
It concludes: “Overall, the A2CB decarbonisation project will deliver significant environmental benefits and is a key component of the Scottish Government’s ambition to decarbonise the transport sector.
“The national importance of the project is reflected in the Scottish Government’s bold and ambitious programme requiring decarbonising rail traction energy through the removal of diesel passenger trains from the Scottish network by 2035, and enhancing the infrastructure to enable more freight trains to run.”
Currently all trains on un-electrified routes are powered by diesel engines which emit carbon dioxide, with around a quarter of the tracks in Scotland already electric. Electrified trains can be powered by electricity derived from renewable sources and the plans aims to move towards th network becoming carbon neutral.
Electric trains produce between 20-35 per cent less carbon than diesel trains, adds Network Rail.
